Zero

Chapter 11: The Kiss of Death

"You should seriously stay longer" The worry on Mike's face is almost enough to break me down. Almost.

"Mike" I hiss, "Don't worry about it - I'm fine."

He sighs, releasing my arm. Rolling my shoulder, I walk out of the shadows and into the blinding light of day. The trucks were all loaded when I was out. Everything's ready to go.

After three or so days of relaxation, I think everyone's itching to get back on the road. At least, I know I am - I can't wait to be back out there killing every rotted bastard I see. I've always hated being in one location for a long period of time. Especially when I'm forced to either sleep or 'lie down or you're gonna rip your stitches'.

"Are you sure you're okay?" The look on Addy's face portrays concern.

I shrug her off, and head to my truck - only to be stopped by someone grabbing my arm. I glare a the person - Mike. His blue eyes widen with shock, before resting on mine - a conflicted expression on his face.

"You aren't coming back" It wasn't a question, but a statement. I guess he realized that the likelihood of me coming back from Cali is practically nonexistent. Then again, I did make it out of there once - so who knows.

I look down at my feet and the filthy ground, "The plan is to take them to Cali - save the world y'know?" I can't bear to see the pain in his eyes. I know why he's hurting - and believe it or not, I'm hurting too.

"Alex" voice soft, unlike the calloused hand that takes hold of my chin. I'm forced to look into the eyes of one of my closest friends. The guy I played with as a child. The guy I had a crush on for most of my life. Everything changed though.

Damn apocalypse. Fucking everything up.

"Mike."

Lips pressed against mine - something I desperately wished for when I was younger. My first kiss - from my only living best friend. Gently shoving him away, I open the door of the truck, and hop in the driver's seat. My face feels funny, my mind feels clouded. Overall, though, I can't help but feel empty. Hollow.

"The apocalypse is no place for love, Mike." My voice doesn't betray my feelings. It's just as hollow as I am.

"You don't need to leave." his voice is all but lost amongst the rumbling of my engine.

I close the door, and look out the windshield, "Someone's gotta save the world - might as well be me, right?"

I can't bare to look at the mirrors. Seeing his face all broken would break me - and I don't need to break again. I've broken enough during this apocalypse. I'm not breaking again. The passengers side door is ripped open and slammed shut like my heart.

I can't bother to see who climbed in. All I can do is hope that it isn't Mike. Swallowing my emotion, I step on the gas and peel out of there. D.C. wasn't supposed to be an emotional trip. I came here to get patched up, and to get supplies - that's it. (That's partially a lie - I was curious as to what happened to Mike, if he was still alive.)

"So...who was that?"

"Addy. Don't."

"I'm pretty sure Warren would have let him come with."

"Addy!" I snap, knuckles turning white as I grip the steering wheel, "Mike and I aren't 'in love' or any of that pre-apocalyptic shit. Now drop it."

"You sure about that?"

"Yes."

"He looked pretty lost - we could have stayed a little longer if you wanted. It was kinda nice there."

"Wouldn't know - I spent most of that time comatose." my voice is numb, hollow.

She drops the conversation, turning from me to one of the boxes in the back seat. She rummages, before popping something into the CD player. I drive down unpopulated streets, pushing the kiss out of my mind with what little mental strength I have left.

A voice comes through the speaker of one of my radios, "I'll be here when you come back - alive."

A raindrop falls down my face from the clouded sky above. My chest tightens, as I forcibly exhale, and go to roll the window up - only to find that it's already up. The sky isn't raining. I am.

///  Please comment and/or vote or even follow me on Instagram for more updates and little pictures of my life (I'm the_fumble_bee on there). Sorry for the extreme shortness of this one - I have a lot of assignments due this week and barely have enough time to do them (curse you four and seven page papers). I'll try to have another update on Thursday - however there are no promises as I am becoming increasingly busy.

Thank you for making it this far,

~ Bee   ///